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Burger King Fire-Grilled Ribs push casual dining price point
May 18, 2010
While Taco Bell has created buzz with its $2 combo meals, Burger King's new Fire-Grilled Ribs is catching media and consumer attention for its higher price point. The new premium offering now in stores across the country, Burger King has confirmed. Prices range from $7.39 to $8.49 or more for a six-piece rib combo meal, varying by market.
One of Burger King's new premium product innovations designed for the company's new flexible batch broiler, the Fire-Grilled Ribs are actually bone-in riblets. The riblets are about three inches long and feature a caramelized, smoky sauce. They are available in three-piece ($2.99 a la carte in the Louisville, Ky., market and $3.49 in the San Diego market), six-piece ($5.69 a la carte in Louisville and $6.49 in San Diego) and eight-piece packs ($7.19 a la carte in Louisville and $7.99 in San Diego.)
The various-sized packs also are available as combo meals, with prices topping at $8.89 for an eight-piece meal in Louisville and $9.49 in San Diego. Consumers can also add a three-piece a la carte order to any combo meal for a lesser charge, $1.99 in Louisville.
Burger King has said it is aiming to attract casual dining customers with its new menu and new 20/20 design – but that design is in only a handful of U.S. cities. Meanwhile, casual dining chains have been pushing two-for deals and $5 meals as they fight to improve their declining traffic counts.
If consumers buy into the higher price point, the ribs will help mitigate effects of the chain's new sales mix, which now reflects 20 percent of sales from its value items. Burger King Corp. said during its recent earnings call that the chain's higher-priced premium items should help boost the average check, which fell during the $1 double cheeseburger promotion as the company moved to the new sales mix.
Burger King declined to give further comment on the new limited-time offer ribs.
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